The 2012 meeting of Copper in Biology will take place in Alghero, Italy Sept 30-Oct 3, 2012. This will be the 8th meeting of this series. Copper in Biology has become the flagship conference for diverse investigators that focus on environmental copper in biology and health. It is the only conference of its kind that specifically focuses on copper. Copper is a trace essential nutrient for virtually all life forms, but this same metal is potentially toxic. As such, organisms have evolved with specialized homeostatic mechanisms that ensure adequate uptake of trace copper from the environment whilst minimizing the toxic side reactions of copper chemistry. The impact of copper on human health has long been known, but now with cutting edge tools for monitoring copper dynamics and new model systems for copper metabolism defects, investigators are beginning to appreciate the extensive impact of copper on multiple organ systems and the mechanisms that underlie copper related disorders. The Copper 12 meeting aims to bring together a diversity of scientists ranging from basic bioinorganic chemists to cell biologists and geneticists to translational scientists to disseminate new unpublished information, to establish collaborations and foster new directions for research. In particular, young junior investigators will be show-cased throughout the conference as well as any under-represented minority participants. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The 8th meeting of Copper in Biology (Copper 12) seeks to advance understanding of the impact of environmental copper in basic biology and in health and disease. Copper in the environment is not only essential for life, but is potentially toxic and has been associated with specific disease states. The group of researchers devoted to understanding the complexity of copper in biology is diverse and extend from basic chemists and biologists to physicians. Through the Copper in Biology conference, such diverse investigators have an opportunity to interact face-to-face and thereby share new breakthroughs in research and develop collaborations to advance the field.